RAILWAY WRECKS IN PAST

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25428, 26 February 1948, Page 6

RAILWAY WRECKS IN PAST

21 Killed In Accident At Hyde In 1943 .

DEATH-ROLL 17 NEAR ONGARUE IN 1923

In only three New Zealand railway accidents in the last 25 years has the number of deaths exceeded that in the wreck at Blind River yesterday. Th 4 worst railway accident in New Zealand history occurred near Hyde on the afternoon of June 4. 1943. As the Cromwell-DuTiedin express was rounding a curve in a cutting the engine and all six cars were derailed, four of them telescoping. Twentyone persons were killed or died of injuries and 48 were injured. In the early morning of July 6. 1923, the Auckland-Wellington express ran into a slip near Ongarue. 14 mil®! frohr Taumarunui. Seventeen were killed or died of injuries and 30 were injured.

When the engine and first carriage of an excursion train left the rails at Ratana. near Wanganui, on March 26, 1938. seven were killed and more than 40 injured. Two persons wem killed, one die<A of injuries, and eight were injured when a suburban train was derailed at Haywards, near Wellington, on November 8, 1943. This was the most recent serious railway accident. . The engine-driver and fireman oi the north-bound Limited express were killed and 10 nas c engers were injured when the train left the rails near Mercer on October 28, 1940.